   StringFinder Help Contents

The Contents, lists Help topics that are available for StringFinder.  Use the scroll bar to see entries not currently visible in the Help window.

Context sensitive Help is available during StringFinder execution, by pressing the F1 key.

Click a topic below to see more information.

Overview

Getting Started

The File Locations Window

String Searching

The Search Results' List Box

Simplified BBS File List Management

The Download Files' List Box

NEWFILES.DAT Access

Other File Access

Using Cut and Paste

Using Notepad

Registering StringFinder

Troubleshooting

Uninstalling StringFinder


Overview
   StringFinder Overview

StringFinder is an offline utility for searching Bulletin Board (BBS) file lists and managing the lists of files that you want to download.

It provides the user with the following features:

String Searching- StringFinder allows you to search through, up to five BBS file lists offline (eg. ALLFILES.ZIP/FILELIST.ZIP, CDROM988.ZIP etc.). Note that the unregistered version of StringFinder is limited to searching through one BBS file list.

Search Results- StringFinder displays the search results in  a 'blocked data' format. The filename, size, date and file description are displayed for each occurrence of the input search string located in the BBS file list.

NEWFILES.DAT Access- StringFinder allows you to easily access the NEWFILES.DAT file in any QWK formatted file.

Other File Access- StringFinder allows you to display other files in the Search Results' List Box, should you want to update the Download Files' List Box with the filenames from this 'other' file.

Download File Lists- StringFinder allows you save and edit multiple download file lists that can  be used as input files to your communications package.

Using Cut and Paste- StringFinder allows you to cut and paste to the Clipboard any file names found in either the Search Results' List Box or the Download Files' List Box.

Notepad Support- StringFinder allows you to edit either the current search result file, the current download file list or the NEWFILES.DAT file, using Notepad.

Simplified BBS File List Management- StringFinder simplifies the whole approach to managing BBS file lists, by eliminating the need to maintain large databases and the complex software that is required to maintain those databases.


   String Searching

To locate a particular search string in your BBS file lists, simply type the search string into the StringFinder 'Search String:' text box. Up to 34 characters of data can be entered as a search string. The search string is treated as 'raw data'. No wildcards will be recognized and no 'and' / 'or' combinations are allowed (this may change in a later release of StringFinder). Press either the 'Enter' key or the 'Search' button to start the string search.

The number of seconds required to complete a string search will be proportional to the number of search files specified in the File Locations Window, and the size of those files.

The current file name being searched is displayed in the window title.

A message box will be displayed if no occurrence of the search string can be found.

A successful search, will display the search results in the Search Results' List Box.

If the search result is too large to be displayed, a message box will indicate that the search results have been truncated. To reduce the size of the search results, it is recommended that a more specific search string be used.

To exit StringFinder, select the 'Exit' button.

To view the StringFinder Help contents, use the 'Help' button.


   Search Results

If you have ever tried to locate files or search for a text string in a large BBS file list (which can often be a couple of megabytes long), you know it can be a lengthy process to locate all the data you are looking for and to then write down all the filenames that you are interested in downloading. StringFinder simplifies this whole process by searching through your BBS file lists with your input search string and presenting the search results in an easy-to-read 'blocked data' format.

For example, a search for the string 'copyright' might reveal the following search results:

Filename: D:\BBS\ALLFILES.TXT   Search Argument: COPYRIGHT

COPYRIT1.ZIP     7731  04-13-93  Everything You Need To Know About Copyrights!

LOC-COPY.ZIP    30145  09-03-92  1.0  - Information on getting a copyright

SHAREBK.ZIP    242456  05-12-92  The ShareWare Book -- First Edition <ASP>

                               | A Whole Earth Catalog for software developers

                               | Tips, tools and techniques for successful

                               | shareware marketing & development.  Includes

                               | market research, publicity, getting paid,

                               | distribution, resources, product protection,

                               | registration encouragement, trademarks,

                               | copyrights, licensing, channel management,

                               | business issues, support, taxes, manuals,

                               | packaging, shipping, international trade.

************************************************************************

Wherever the string 'copyright' is found in the search file, the associated file name, file length, file date and file description are extracted from the search file in this 'blocked data' format. This lets you easily decide which files you want to download, since all the data associated with the file name is shown for each occurrence of the search string.


   NEWFILES.DAT Access

Forget those large and cumbersome offline-mail managers. If all you are interested in, is the 'NEWFILES.DAT' from your latest QWK mail download, then StringFinder will do the job. With one click, StringFinder will extract the 'NEWFILES.DAT' file and conveniently display the data, ready for you to add the filenames that you are interested in, to the download file list of your choice.

From the File menu, select the 'Open NEWFILES.DAT From QWK...' menu item. This will present you with an open file dialog where you can select the appropriate QWK file. Upon selecting this file, StringFinder will extract the NEWFILES.DAT file from the QWK packet and present the data in the Search Results' List Box. From there you can select the files that you are interested in downloading and add them to the Download Files' List Box.

You can try this feature out for yourself by using the 'EGFILE.QWK' file supplied in the StringFinder archive.


   Other File Access

If want to access some other file that contains file names that you wish to view or add to the Download Files' List Box, StringFinder allows you retrieve that file into the Search Results' List Box.

From the File menu, select the 'Open Other...' menu item. This will present you with an open file dialog, where you can select the appropriate file. Upon selecting this file, StringFinder will retrieve this file and present the data in the Search Results' List Box. From there you can select the files that you are interested in downloading and add them to the Download Files' List Box.


   Download File Lists

StringFinder allows you to work with multiple download file lists so that you can customize a specific download list for each BBS you dial in to. An open file dialog can be used to select the download file list you want to work with. This file will be retrieved into the Download Files' List Box. Using the files that you retrieve into the Search Results' List Box, with either the 'Open Other...' File menu item or the 'Open NEWFILES.DAT From QWK...' File Menu item, you can add files or delete files from the current download file list.


Cut and Paste
   Using Cut and Paste

StringFinder allows the following cut and paste activities:

You can copy or cut file names from the Download Files' List Box to the Clipboard. To do this, select a file name from the Download Files' List Box ,then select 'Copy' or 'Cut' from the Edit menu.

You can copy file names from the Search Results' List Box to the Clipboard. To do this, select a file name from the Search Results' List Box, then select 'Copy' from the Edit menu.

You can paste file names from the Clipboard to the Download Files' List Box. To do this, select 'Paste To Download List' from the Edit menu.


   Notepad Support

StringFinder allows you to retrieve into Notepad either the current Search Result file, the current Download File List file or the current NEWFILES.DAT file. This allows you to do more extensive editing or cut and paste activities, should you have the need.

From the File menu, select the 'Open Notepad With Result File...' menu item. This will retrieve the current Search Result file into the Notepad.

From the File menu, select the 'Open Notepad With Download File...' menu item. This will retrieve the current Download File List file into the Notepad.

From the File menu, select the 'Open Notepad With NEWFILES.DAT...' menu item. This will retrieve the current NEWFILES.DAT file into the Notepad.


   Simplified BBS File List Management

StringFinder's interface allows you to easily select the files that you are interested in downloading from the Search Results' List Box and then save these selected files in the Download Files' List Box ready for use by your favorite communications program.

You might say that this can be achieved by maintaining databases of your favorite BBS file lists on your harddrive. There are some very sophisticated programs that will update this database each time you download the NEWFILES.DAT file. I found that I could not justify the space that these databases (and the programs needed to access them) occupied after realizing how infrequently I interrogated the databases. I decided not to use them. Instead, I  settled for a simpler approach. You keep each BBS's file list as a flat ASCII file. You interrogate it using StringFinder. That's it!


   Getting Started

Two external files are required to run StringFinder:

VBRUN300.DLL   Visual Basic's run time direct link library. This file can be downloaded from your BBS (VBRUN300.ZIP).

PKUNZIP.EXE   PKware's unzip executable. This file can be downloaded from your local BBS (PKZ204G.EXE or later version). Place PKUNZIP.EXE in your path. This will allow you to use the 'Open NEWFILES.DAT From QWK ...' File menu item.

Run SETUP.EXE to install StringFinder. This executable will:

Create the STRFND10 directory on the specified drive.

Copy the appropriate files to the STRFND10 directory.

Copy VBRUN300.DLL to the WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory.

Copy STRUNZIP.PIF to the WINDOWS directory.

Prepare your BBS filelists for searching by StringFinder:

There will be an example BBS filelist set up in STRFND10 (EGFILE.TXT) that you can play with until you download your favorite BBS's filelist (for example, try searching on 'editor' or 'file manager').

Download your favorite BBS's filelist. These files are usually named 'ALLFILES.ZIP' or 'FILELIST.ZIP'. You can also download any CDROM filelists if applicable, from your BBS.

If your BBS sys op keeps this entire file as a 'text' file, you are all set. Just specify the file's exact pathname on the StringFinder File Locations Window when you first start StringFinder.

If your BBS sys op keeps the filelist in directories (DIR1, DIR2 etc.), simply copy all the 'DIR*' files to a file called ALLFILES.TXT. This can be done from DOS with the command: COPY DIR* ALLFILES.TXT (You may then want to delete all the DIR files with the command: ERASE DIR*  ).

Run StringFinder for the first time:

The StringFinder File Locations Window will be displayed the first time you run StringFinder. Here you can specify the input files that you wish to search through, as well as the name of the output 'search results' file.

StringFinder will update your WIN.INI file in your Windows directory, saving pertinent information that will be used by StringFinder each time you start it up.

Try StringFinder's search capabilities using the sample BBS file list 'EGFILE.TXT'.

Try StringFinder's QWK packet handling features using the sample QWK packet 'EGFILE.QWK'.

Use the context sensitive Online Help to fully explore StringFinder's features.


   The File Locations Window

The File Locations Window's primary purpose is to allow you to specify which BBS files you want to search through as well as where you want the search result data to be saved. The File Locations Window has the following attributes:

Search file locations and the search result file location must be specified with an exact pathname. For example- C:\BBS\ALLFILES.TXT or C:\STRFND10\RESULTS.TXT

At least one search file location and the result file location must be specified in order to have the file locations accepted.

Please note that when you use the 'Ok' button, you are saving the file locations for the current session only. In order to save the file locations between sessions, you must use the 'Save' button.

In order to use the default setup, use the 'Defaults' button.

To view the StringFinder Help contents, use the 'Help' button.

Although you may have multiple BBS search files specified, you can choose which files get searched by selecting the 'check box' next to the ones you want StringFinder to use.

Please note that the shareware version of StringFinder only allows one search file to be specified.


   The Search Results' List Box

The Search Results' List Box's primary purpose is to:

Display the results of a requested string search.

Display any file you select via the 'Open Other...' File menu item.

Display NEWFILES.DAT file data you have selected via the 'Open NEWFILES.DAT From QWK...' File menu.

The Search Results' List Box has the following attributes:

File names can be added to the Download Files' List Box by 'double-clicking' the line containing the file name.

A selected line that has a file name in the starting position will activate the 'Add' button. Selecting the 'Add' button will add the selected filename to the Download Files' List Box.

A selected line that has a file name in the starting position will also activate the 'Copy' Edit menu item.

To refresh the Search Results' List Box with the results of the last string search, use the 'Last Search Results' button.


   The Download Files' List Box

The Download Files' List Box's primary purpose is to provide a work area for constructing download file lists.

The Download Files' List Box has the following attributes:

File names can be added to the Download Files' List Box by 'double-clicking' the line containing the file name in the Search Results' List Box.

Selecting the 'Add' button will add the selected filename from the Search Results' List Box to the Download Files' List Box.

File names can be deleted from the Download Files' List Box by 'double-clicking' the file name or selecting a file name and then selecting the 'Delete' button.

The Download Files' List Box can be cleared by selecting the 'Clear' button.

A selected file name in the Download Files' List Box will activate the 'Cut' and 'Copy' Edit menu item.

Use the 'Open List' button to select a file that you wish to retrieve into the Download Files' List Box.

Use the 'Save List' button to save the contents of the Download Files' List Box to disk.

Using the 'Paste To Download List' Edit menu item, you can paste a file name from the Clipboard to the Download Files' List Box.


   Registering StringFinder

Registration information can be obtained by selecting the 'Registration Information...' Help menu item.

Vendors must read the 'VENDORS.TXT' file included with the StringFinder archive.

Users of StringFinder must read the 'LICENCE.TXT' file included with the StringFinder archive.


   Troubleshooting

Most problems that occur with StringFinder can be attributed to a discrepancy between the StringFinder data in the WIN.INI file, and the application itself.

The first course of action to take when you are having problems, is to erase the StringFinder section in the WINI.INI file then start StringFinder up again. This will refresh the StringFinder section in the WIN.INI file and hopefully resolve any outstanding problems.

If this does not resolve the problem, I recommend erasing the StringFinder section of the WINI.INI file, erasing the STRFND10 directory, and then re-installing StringFinder.

Good luck!


   Uninstalling StringFinder

To completely remove the StringFinder installation from your system, do the following:

Delete the StringFinder 1.0 Window's Group

Erase the STRFND10 directory and it's contents.

Erase STRUNZIP.PIF from the WINDOWS directory.

Remove the [StringFinder] section from the WIN.INI file.